It has been a long first week for Casey Novak. She has been the new Assistant District Attorney for the Special Victims Unit, and she already wanted to quit after a week.
She walked into her office after her talk with her boss, Arthur Branch. Her boss may have thought that she was a good match to this job, but Casey wasn't sure.
Casey sat down at her desk and noticed that she had a voice mail. She pressed the button and listened to the voice mail from her sister Danielle.
"Hey Casey, it's Danielle. I haven't heard from you in a week and I was just wondering if you were alive. Can you call me back? I'll probably be awake when you listen to this. Okay, bye."
Casey looked at the clock and realized that Danielle was right. It was ten o'clock, and she couldn't help but laugh to herself as she called Danielle from her office phone. After two rings, Danielle picked up.
"Hello?"
"I'm calling to let you know that I'm alive" Casey said.
"Well that's good to hear. How's your new job?"
"I hate it" Casey replied "No one likes me here and I can't deal with these real victims."
"I can see why. You were never the one who could deal with anything really emotional" Danielle said.
"How's high school?" Casey asked.
"It's all right. I have so much homework from all of my classes though. It's such a pain! I'm usually up until eleven just to get it done."
"That explains why you said that you would still be up in the message you left me."
"Yeah"
"Look, I don't be mean to be rude but can you not call me for a few weeks?"
"Why?"
"I'm trying to get used to this job and everything" Casey said "I just told you how hard it was."
"Casey, you have no idea what you're asking" Danielle asked
"I'm not asking a lot, Danielle. I just started this job a week ago."
"And I just started high school in August, but that hasn't stopped me from calling you?"
Casey could sense anger in Danielle's voice. Then she realized that Danielle could be angry and upset.
"Danielle..."
"I see how it is, Casey" Danielle said as she started to rant "You just entered a better job than the one you were in for the past few years. You just love your job that you do me!"
"Danielle, that's not true!"
"I don't know if I should believe you.'Oh, don't call me for a few weeks because I have better things to do than to talk to my younger sister'. Am I not cool enough for you, Casey Elizabeth Novak?"
"You have some nerve saying my full name" Casey snapped
"And you have some nerve telling me I shouldn't call you for a few weeks. Do you know what? I'll make it easier for you. I won't call you until I'm old, grey, and about to die!"
"Danielle, please stop being angry with me" Casey pleaded
"Well it's obvious that you hate me more than you hate your job!"
"That's not true!" Casey shouted into the phone "I don't hate you!"
"Really? That's funny; I thought the feeling was mutual because I currently hate you. Let me know when you can fit me into your busy schedule. Bye."
Casey heard the dial tone and she put the phone on the receiver. She tried to tell her sister about how time consuming the job was the best that she could, but she didn't do a great job of it. She reached for a picture that was on her desk and looked at it. It was a picture of Casey having Danielle on her shoulders after she graduated. Danielle was four and Casey was seventeen in that picture.
Casey sighed as she put the picture back in its place. She looked at it for a few more seconds, and then got up from her desk. She grabbed her jacket and left the office. She shut the door, locked it and started walking towards the elevator. After nine years of not seeing her younger sister, Casey realized that it might be another five years until Danielle forgives her. As the elevator door shut, Casey started to have tears in her eyes and only hoped that Danielle wasn't as stubborn as she was.